Dahlia plant named ‘BKDADO’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dahlia  plant named ‘BKDADO’, characterized by its broadly upright plant habit; freely basal branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit; medium-sized dark green-colored leaves; and large decorative inflorescences with orange-colored ray florets.

Botanical designation: Dahlia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BKDADO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant, botanically known as Dahlia hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘BKDADO’.

The new Dahlia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Heinenoord and Maasdijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new container Dahlia plants that have a freely basal branching habit, and large decorative inflorescences with attractive ray floret coloration.

The new Dahlia plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Dahlia hybrida ‘BKDARD’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,929. The new Dahlia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘BKDARD’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Heinenoord, The Netherlands in August, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dahlia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands since November, 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Dahlia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Dahlia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘BKDADO’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘BKDADO’ as a new and distinct Dahlia plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright plant habit.     -   2. Freely basal branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit.     -   3. Medium-sized dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Large decorative inflorescences with orange-colored ray         florets.

Plants of the new Dahlia differ primarily from plants of the mutation parent, ‘BKDARD’ in ray floret color as plants of ‘BKDARD’ have bright red-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Dahlia can be compared to plants of Dahlia hybrida ‘BKDAOR’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,487. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Maasdijk, The Netherlands, plants of the new Dahlia differed from plants of ‘BKDAOR’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dahlia were more upright than and not as         compact as plants of ‘BKDAOR’.     -   2. Plants of the new Dahlia were not as freely flowering as         plants of ‘BKDAOR’.     -   3. Plants of the new Dahlia and ‘BKDAOR’ differed in ray floret         color as plants of ‘BKDAOR’ had yellow to yellow orange-colored         ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Dahlia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Dahlia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘BKDADO’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘BKDADO’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and the following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the autumn in 1.5-liter containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Maasdijk, The Netherlands and under cultural practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Dahlia production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 17° C. to 19° C. Plants were pinched one time and were eleven weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dahlia hybrida ‘BKDADO’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Dahlia     hybrida ‘BKDARD’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,929. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 16 days at             temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 19 days at             temperatures ranging from 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 days             at temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 23 days             at temperatures ranging from 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots; tuber             development has not been observed on plants of the new             Dahlia.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Broadly upright and mounding plant             form; freely basal branching habit with about four primary             branches each with about two secondary branches developing             per plant; inflorescences held above the foliar plane on             strong peduncles; bushy and dense growth habit; pinching is             not required but will improve branching habit.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 18.9             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 31.9             cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 32.2 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 13.1 cm. Diameter: About             6 mm. Internode length: About 3.4 cm. Aspect: Primary             branches are mostly erect; secondary branches, about 35°             from primary branch axis. Strength: Moderately strong.             Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color,             developing: Close to 146A. Color, developed: Close to 143A             tinged with close to N186C. -   Leaf & leaflet description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Leaves opposite and compound with three or five             leaflets.         -   Length, leaves.—About 16.7 cm.         -   Length, leaflets.—About 7.9 cm.         -   Width, leaves.—About 14.3 cm.         -   Width, leaflets.—About 4.8 cm.         -   Shape, leaves in overall outline.—Ovate.         -   Shape, leaflets.—Ovate.         -   Apex, leaflets.—Acute.         -   Base, leaflets.—Attenuate.         -   Margin, leaflets.—Coarsely serrate.         -   Venation pattern, leaflets.—Pinnate.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface, leaflets.—Slightly             rugose, glabrous; slightly velvety; matte.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface, leaflets.—Smooth,             glabrous; matte.         -   Color.—Developing leaflets, upper surface: Close to 147A.             Developing leaflets, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully             expanded leaflets, upper surface: Slightly darker than             between NN137A and 189A; venation, close to 143A. Fully             expanded leaflets, lower surface: Close to 191A; venation,             close to 147B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 4.9 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Height:             About 5 mm. Strength: Moderately strong to strong. Texture             and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower             surface: Close to 144A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance and arrangement.—Double inflorescence form with             ray and disc florets forming acropetally on a receptacle;             inflorescences positioned above and beyond the foliar plane             on strong peduncles; inflorescences face mostly upright;             freely flowering habit with about 20 inflorescences             developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering response and flowering period.—Early flowering             habit, plants begin flowering about ten weeks after             planting; plants flower continuously during the autumn into             the winter in The Netherlands.         -   Post-production longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good             substance for about ten days on the plant; inflorescences             persistent.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 7 mm. Diameter: About             1 cm. Shape: Flattened globular. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; glossy. Color: Close to 144B to 144C.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 7.4 cm. Depth (height):             About 7.8 cm. Disc diameter: About 8 mm, inconspicuous.         -   Receptacles.—Height: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 9 mm.             Shape: Flattened globular. Color: Close to 145C.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement:             About 180 arranged in about eight whorls. Length: About             3.9 cm. Width: About 2 cm. Shape: Broadly obovate. Apex:             Obtuse to shallowly retuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.             Aspect: Upright to roughly horizontal and eventually             downward; moderately concave. Texture and luster, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous; moderately velvety; slightly             glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous;             moderately velvety; matte. Color: When opening, upper             surface: Close to 22A; towards the base, close to 163B. When             opening, lower surface: Close to 22A flushed with close to             37C; proximally, close to N45A to N45C. Fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 22A and 23B; towards the base, close to             12A; colors becoming closer to 28B and towards the base,             close to 9B with development; venation, same as lamina             colors. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 22A flushed             with close to 37B; proximally, close to N45B to N45C; colors             becoming close to 53C to 53D and towards the apex, close to             8B to 8C with development; venation, same as lamina colors.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement:             About 30 massed at the center of the inflorescence in about             three whorls. Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Shape: Tubular, elongated; apices, acute. Texture and             luster, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; glossy.             Color, when opening, inner and outer surfaces: Apex: Close             to 13A. Mid-section and base: Close to 151C to 151D. Color,             fully opened, inner and outer surfaces: Apex: Close to 13A.             Mid-section and base: Close to 151C.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement:             About eight arranged in about two whorls. Length: About             1.3 cm. Width: About 7 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base:             Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to NN137B.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 10.6 cm.             Diameter, terminal peduncle: About 3.5 mm. Strength: Strong.             Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy.             Color: Close to 144A; proximally, tinged with close to             darker than 148A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium, present on disc florets             only: Quantity per floret: About five. Filament length:             About 1 mm. Filament color: Close to 151D. Anther shape:             Narrowly oblong. Anther length: About 4 mm. Anther color:             Close to 200A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Close             to 21A. Gynoecium, present on disc florets only: Quantity             per floret: One. Pistil length: About 1.3 cm. Style length:             About 9 mm. Style color: Close to 151D. Stigma diameter:             About 1.5 mm. Stigma shape: Cleft, decurrent. Stigma color:             Close to 17A to 17B. Ovary color: Close to 145D. Seeds and             fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been observed on             plants of the new Dahlia. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Dahlia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Dahlia     plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Dahlia have been observed     to tolerate high temperatures of about 35° C. and to be suitable for     USDA Hardiness Zones 9 to 11. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Dahlia plant named ‘BKDADO’ as illustrated and described. 